Working on a resolution or two for a happier, healthier new year? Consider including some for your pet!

Setting and conquering goals together is a great way to bond with your pet and pick up some mutually beneficial habits. Need some inspiration to get started? Here are seven New Year’s resolutions for you and your pet.

Did you bring home a new pet for the holidays? Welcoming a furry member to the family is an exciting time, and it can be easy to forget a few simple but important steps to ensure life with your new dog or catbegins on the right paw.

Baby, it’s getting cold outside! As you fire up the furnace and dig the sweaters out of the back of the closet, remember that your pet needs special care during the winter months, too. Follow these five tips to keep your pet safe and warm all season long.

Did someone say, “W-A-L-K”? Whether you’re exploring a new trail or hitting your tried-and-true neighborhood loop, taking regular walks with your dog can have many positive effects on her health—and yours.

Here are the top six reasons you should add a stroll with your best friend to your daily routine:

Ticks are the vampire of the pet world. They latch onto your dog or cat, attach themselves and suck their blood until they’re engorged with your pet’s blood. Then they fall off and rest until they’ve digested their meal.

What happens next is they may quietly die, or they may feel ready for another feeding. It depends on the life cycle of the tick, the type of tick, and other such factors.

You get a reminder email, text, or postcard -- your dog or cat is due for a vaccine or two. Time to make an appointment! You arrive for a simple visit with your healthy pet, and then a Licensed Technician or even the doctor begins a full, thorough exam. Your appointment is going to take a bit longer than you anticipated, and you’re now wondering, “If my pet is healthy, is this full examination really necessary?”

If your dog went missing, how would you try to find him? Post “lost” notices on electrical poles and on Facebook? Comb the neighborhood calling for your dog and looking at your phone every three seconds in case someone found him? Call your shelter to ask if anyone had found him and taken him to the shelter?

While all of these are viable and common practices, there are a few ways you can increase the odds that you'll be reunited with your pooch should the unthinkable happen.

Finding a lump or bump on your pet can be a worrisome experience, but don’t panic. Masses of all kinds, from harmless skin growths to malignant tumors, are fairly common. While most are benign, it’s always better to err on the side of caution by following these steps.